Marines Vindicant
The Marines Vindicant is a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown origin and Founding. Almost nothing is known about the Chapter in Imperial records save that it played a major role in the scouring of the world of Vorlinghast in 981.M41, which had been overrun by Plague Zombies and the Death Guard Traitor Legion. Chapter History Notable Campaigns *'Scouring of Vorlinghast (981.M41)' - When the vitally important munitions factory world of Vorlinghast fell silent and its flow of supply ships crammed full of battle tanks ceased, the Departmento Munitorum was swift to send a probe-team to investigate. After a cursory investigation, the Munitorum notified Lord Inquisitor Hector Rex of the irregularities they had found before making planetfall and investigating the dereliction of duty of the world's 16 regiments of the Imperial Guard, who had refused to answer the Munitorum investigative team's Vox-hails. Investigating the world for himself, Lord Inquisitor Rex discovered the planet had been infected by a Warp-spawned plague. Within three hours, three Strike Cruisers of the Marines Vindicant Space Marine Chapter were despatched to Vorlinghast to cleanse the planet. The first Drop Pods met with heavy resistance. The Chapter's Scout Marines confirmed the Marines Vindicant's Force Commander Sebastius' dark prediction that the populace and Imperial Guard troops stationed there had been reduced to shambling Plague Zombies. To further complicate matters, these hordes of undead creatures walked amongst Chaos Space Marines of the notorious Death Guard Traitor Legion. The Imperial forces were waylaid in a well-executed and deadly trap. Slamming into the milling ranks of the infected soldiery, the slaughter that followed was terrible, but no matter how many of the undead plague victims fell upon them they could not penetrate the devastating and disciplined Bolter fire laid down by the Astartes. The Space Marines advanced relentlessly as the corpses were piled higher and higher. But soon the valiant Astartes were attacked by the fury of the daemonic Plaguebearers of Nurgle. Caught off-guard by this repugnant daemonic attack, the Marines Vindicant quickly formed up defensive positions. The hordes of Plaguebearers made it difficult for the Astartes to fan out and lay down suppressive fire, forcing only one or two of their number to be able to fire at any given time. The daemons shrugged off the normally mortal wounds inflicted by the explosive bolts of the Astartes' weapons, drawing inexorably closer to their position. Those Space Marines that survived the daemonic onslaught were assailed by the Chaos Space Marines of the Death Guard, and soon found themselves in close-quarters fighting. Overwhelmed by the large number of forces arrayed against them, Commander Sebastius had no choice but to call for a tactical retreat. He also requested armoured reinforcement to help bolster his beleaguered forces. Thunderhawk Transporters soon arrived from orbit, each carrying an Astartes tank beneath it. Sebastius' forces managed to take refuge in the tunnel networks that ran beneath the world's capital city and secured the vault doors. Taking stock of their situation, they soon noticed that some of the surviving Battle-Brothers appeared ashen-faced, their helms missing and the spoor of the Warp plague already apparent on their greying features. Sergeant Bellancio suggested that the Warp plague was too strong, even for their enhanced metabolisms, and none of them could hold the debilitating effects of the plague at bay for long. Bellancio then proposed that they should paint their armour black with blood in the tradition of those who seek death in battle and take the fight to the Plague Marines and their daemonic allies. After a moment of silent prayer to the Emperor, Sebastius agreed. Blasting forth from the bastion's fire slits with every weapon at their disposal, the surviving Battle-Brothers flung open the vault doors and bravely faced their ultimate fate head-on. The gore-covered Astartes of the Marines Vindicant were led by Sergeant Bellancio in a heroic charge into the ranks of the Traitors. They were briefly relieved by the armoured onslaught of Predator tanks and Redeemer Land Raiders, but their momentary advantage turned to shock as a new threat emerged -- a Daemon Prince of Nurgle came forth, ravaging the ranks of the hard-pressed Astartes. Surrounded on all sides, a Thunderhawk roared past, disgorging a squad of Assault Marines from the skies to attack the daemon, but was easily despatched by the vile minion of the Plague God. With few options left, Sebastius opened a Vox channel to the Strike Cruisers orbiting above, and ordered them to open fire upon his position. The Daemon Prince was reduced to a smoking crater by the precise lance strikes of the Marines Vindicant vessels. The clean-up operation proved to be foul and difficult work. The infected Battle-Brothers were quarantined in the brigs of the Strike Cruisers and the infected Imperial Guard survivors were remotely interrogated until they died. The surviving Space Marines were forced to undergo painful purification procedures, though most were still believed to be corrupted beyond hope of a cure and were ultimately granted the Emperor's Peace. Notable Marines Vindicant *'Commander Sebastius' - Sebastius was the senior Force Commander of the Marines Vindicant element that valiantly led the cleansing of Vorlinghast despite the overwhelming Forces of Chaos arrayed against the Chapter. *'Sergeant Bellancio' - Bellancio served under Commander Sebastius during the cleansing of Vorlinghast. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Marines Vindicant's colours are not listed in current Imperial records. Chapter Badge The Marines Vindicant's Chapter badge is not listed in current Imperial records. Sources *''Warhammer 40,000: Planetstrike'' (5th Edition), pp. 62-64 Category:M Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Imperium Category:Unknown Founding